Does anyone have suggestions for building very distinctive geometric animal logos (such as those made by Gardner Design)? I’ve gone through dribbble and Pinterest and seeing the final result is fine, but I’m curious how they’re actually built. It doesn’t help that most of my sketches feel like an animal icon rather than a unique concept involving that animal (in this case, a Goldfinch representing a therapy center that is also supposed to be bold and masculine) and I’m not satisfied. I’m pretty rusty with logos because I don’t like doing them, and I could use a spark of inspiration (or a solid link) if you have any.
Most of the Gardner Design ‘look’ is clean - blocks of colour, or strong lines. The blocks are geometric but with a rounded side (almost never rounded corners). The lines are similarly geometric and any curve is clean, simple and often just a quarter radius.
Imagine you are using those wooden blocks for kids - simple shapes and colours. Try drawing an owl with 2 repeated shapes - oblongs with 3 corners and a curved side and triangles.
They often use 3 colours which I would stay away from but one or two colours is fine. And as with any logo, make a version in just black and one in just white. Stay away from gradients if possible.
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3 colors is fine. It’s the 4th color that you have to think hard about.
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Sometimes when I am just blanking and I am having trouble, I go to Shutterstock and look at pics. I’ll type in “unusual” or “cool”: just descriptors, and see what pops up over a few pages. You can pull the low res versions direct to design roughs and place them as a background for elements…
I know it’s lame, but hey, 30 years of this and having done every kind of logo conceivable, it’s self delusional to think I’m going to come up with something truly original if I’m not inspired. I also find “A Perfect Circle” to give me drive/motivation.
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Image search for “animal tanograms” and you should find some simplified versions.
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yeah i agree with the three color concept.